France and Chad
Political relations
France and Chad have a strong and long-standing bilateral relationship marked by many high-level meetings. Chad is also an important partner for France in the fight against terrorism.
French presence
French Embassy website: https://td.ambafrance.org/
Consulates: N’Djamena, Abéché (honorary), Moundou (honorary)
French community in Chad: 1377 registered (2019)
Chadian community in France: approx. 5,000 (2019)
Visits
High-level visits and meetings since 2018:
- Mr Larcher, President of the French Senate, visited Chad from 25 to 28 February 2018.
- Mr Le Drian, French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, visited Chad on 7 and 8 June 2018.
- Ms Parly, French Minister for the Armed Forces, visited Chad on 8 and 9 October 2018.
- Mr Macron, President of the French Republic, visited Chad on 22 and 23 December 2018.
- Mr Le Drian, French Minister for Foreign and European Affairs, visited Chad on 21 May 2019.
- Ms Parly, French Minister for the Armed Forces, met President Déby in N’Djamena on 4 November 2019.
- Mr Macron, President of the French Republic, met President Déby at summits in Pau (13 January 2020) and Nouakchott (30 June 2020).
- Mr Le Drian, French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, met his Chadian counterpart, Mr Amine Abba Sidick, in Paris on 24 August 2020.
- Mr Castex, French Prime Minister, visited Chad on 31 December 2020 and 1 January 2021.
- Mr Déby, President of the Republic of Chad, visited France on 18 January 2021.
- Mr Macron, President of the French Republic, spoke by telephone with President Déby on 11 April 2021.
- Mr Macron, President of the French Republic, visited Chad on 23 April 2021 for the funeral of President Déby.
- Mr Macron, President of the French Republic, received the President of the Military Transitional Council, Mahamat Déby, in Paris on 5 July 2021.
Economic relations
France is one of Chad’s main economic partners.
France is Chad’s leading bilateral development assistance partner. Over the last decade (2011-2020), the AFD’s support to Chad totalled €386 million, primarily in five priority sectors: access to essential services, health, rural development, education and vocational training. As of 31 December 2021, the AFD’s portfolio in Chad totalled €240 million (32 ongoing projects). €30 million was disbursed in 2021, excluding general budget support and budgetary support loans. This amount should remain stable in 2022.
France’s support also includes budgetary support. An annual budgetary support loan was granted each year between 2017 and 2019, totalling €100 million (€40 million in both 2017 and 2018, €20 million in 2019), in addition to annual general budget support. These amounts were granted in the context of support to countries in the CEMAC subregion that had signed up to an IMF programme for the period, including Chad. In 2022, the country received general budget support of €15 million, as against €20 million in 2021, €15 million in 2020, and €10 million in 2019 and 2018.
French exports to Chad have been on a generally downward trend since 2012, standing at €69.8 million in 2021. At the same time, France’s imports, which peaked at €278 million in 2020, fell by almost half in 2021 to €169 million. They do however remain well above pre-2020 figures. We thus have a trade deficit.
France’s foreign direct investment stock in Chad stood at €111 million in 2019, below the amount in the early 2000s (around €180 million). Some 20 French companies are present in the agrifood, construction, commerce, petroleum distribution, banking and logistics sectors, as well as a few local companies that belong to French nationals, primarily in the catering, services and construction sectors. French companies in Chad include Compagnie Sucrière du Tchad (Vilgrain), Brasseries du Tchad (Castel), TotalEnergies, Nexira (export of gum arabic), SGT (subsidiary of Société Générale) and Air France. Perenco has entered the hydrocarbon production sector, having taken over the assets of Glencore.
Cultural, scientific and technical cooperation
France is Chad’s leading bilateral development assistance partner (excluding humanitarian and food aid).
The funding of the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) in Chad totalled €60 million in 2019, 2020 and 2021 and €85 million in 2022. The AFD is active in the Lake Chad region, supporting urban planning in N’Djamena and Moundou as well as nomadic farming and maternal and child health, and improvement of education and vocational training systems.
Our cooperation is also implemented in the sectors of governance and higher education and research.
France supports many projects strengthening teaching of and in French in Chad, like the network of French-language teaching centres (CALFs) and partnerships with the Ministry of Education in the fields of governance, digital technology and teacher training.
Chad has a school under contract with the Agency for French Education Abroad (AEFE) and a network of CALFs in Abéché, Adré, Moundou, N’Djamena and Sarh.
Other cooperation
France provides humanitarian, food and stabilization assistance in Chad.
France granted €6.2 million of food assistance in 2022 under its planned food aid programme. This assistance aims to directly reach more than 250,000 people (women and children) in order to prevent and treat malnutrition, foster the recovery of farming, and support those affected by flooding in October 2022.
France is moreover the sixth-largest contributor to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which has co-financed the Ministry of Health’s expanded immunization programme to the total of $65 million since 2001.
The Global Fund’s grant to Chad for the period 2001-2024 totals €153 million, including €38 million for the COVID-19 response with the aim of mitigating the impact of the disease on the three major pandemics and supporting health systems and community programmes in Chad. Indicatively, France’s contribution to the Global Fund represents around 10% of the overall budget.
Lastly, France supports the restructuring of the Chadian armed forces (training, retraining, advice and expertise). It is also active in the internal security field through support for capacity building in the area of counter-terrorism.
Updated: 23.02.23